Barbara Thomas: Breaking the silence of infertility

Preparing to have children can be a joyous time for many families — hopefully looking at baby clothes, picking out nursery colors, and even rearranging homes and lives to make room for a new little life. But for some, it takes longer than expected to fill that nursery with giggles and smiles.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, infertility impacts 1 in 5 American women. During National Infertility Awareness Week April 21-27, it’s important we bring attention to the struggles those with infertility face and the recent discord around fertility-related procedures.

Infertility affects a woman’s ability to get pregnant, but it can also have a much deeper psychological impact. It’s a sensitive subject that isn’t often talked about openly, but it plagues women and families in our lives every day.Many women dream of giving birth, andif they are unable to, they can experience depression, anxiety, stress and feelings of inadequacy.

Fortunately, there have been medical advancements in in vitro fertilization (IVF), which has helped women all over the world get pregnant when they couldn’t naturally, by extracting an embryo, fertilizing it and placing it in the womb. However, IVF may not work for everyone. Cycles can be expensive, and not all insurances cover it.

In recent months, there has been increased discussion around IVF following the Alabama Supreme Court ruling that IVF embryos are considered children. This decision caused many of the state’s clinics to pause their treatments and has led to concerns among women across the U.S. about their rights to IVF, especially in a post-Roe v. Wade era.

As a therapist, I’ve seen firsthand how the news around this ruling has been impacting women. There has been an increase in fear and anxiety from those who want to have a family and may need to utilize IVF to do it, especially those in the queer/LGBTQ+ community. There are also concerns that rulings like this could set a precedent and potentially impact insurance coverage and further access to other reproductive health procedures.

Infertility is a challenging journey, made even more daunting by the stress and anxiety brought on by this recent news. Oftentimes, those with infertility suffer in silence. By breaking that silence and bringing more awareness to these issues, we can create a future where infertility is met with empathy, understanding and comprehensive support.

Barbara Thomas is a licensed marriage and family therapist with Thriveworks in Pittsburgh.